[Gasification] slose coupling ic and gasifier (was Re: water injection of producer gas fired ic engines)

[Ken Boak]

Jim,

Thanks for your comments,  a few more suggestions

300-400degC is plenty of useful heat to boil off water in the fuel as
por.   - and then re-condense this vapour to get back some of the heat,
particularly if you are running a water heating process.

My temperature measurements were made approximately 200mm along the exhaust
manifold from the exhaust valve.  The engine is conventionally
aspirated,slow speed Lister type.  I will try with a greater electrical load
next time and see if I can increase the exhaust temp.

I like the idea of the afterburner stage, where excess gas could be use to
create more heat, when needed -especially if the IC engine is running at
part load, and there is a requirement for additional space heating.   It
would also help reduce the exhaust gas aromas produced when running the
engine on filtered waste vegetable oil.

This alliance between IC engine and gasifier is definitely worth exploring
further.

Wood chips are half the price of natural gas, and waste vegetable oil is
readily available, for less than half the price of home heating oil.
Devise a close coupled engine/gasifier system that produces heat and powe in
sufficient quantities for powering the typical suburban home and I think
this could be a niche application.



Ken